Sound-reproducer.



T. A. EDISON.

SOUND REPRODUOER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.14. 1910.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET) T. A. EDISON.

SOUND RBPRODUGER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14. mo.

1,119,141, Patented Dec. 1,1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES EflTENT OFFICE.

THOlvIAS A. EDISON, OF LLEWELLYN PARK, WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, OF \VEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOUND-REPBODUCER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

Application filed November 14, 1910. Serial No. 592,226.

My invention relates to sound reproducers, and my object is to provide a reproducer in which the stylus lever is so mounted that the stylus will always track the record faithfully under all circum stances. The stylus lever is so mounted as to be moved with the greatest freedom in conformity with the engagement of the stylus in the record groove. The stylus lever and its mounting are of small mass or inertia and are movable laterally with respect to the floating weight supporting the same,- the stylus lever also preferably being bodily movable with respect to the weight in a plane at right angles to the plane of the latter. The provision of means permitting lateral movement of the stylus with'respect to the floating weight is intended to permit the stylus to track the record groove without having to overcome the inertia of the floating weight when a lateral movement is necessary, and the provision of means permitting the stylus lever to move bodily toward and away from the floating weight prevents binding of the mounting in the weight and increases the sensitivenessand efliciency of the device.

Another object of my invention is tliie provision of a roller upon the stylus lever mounting, this roller contacting the under side or other surface of the floating Weight during the lateral'movement's of thediever with respect to the weight, whereby friction is reduced.

Other objects of my invention will appear more fully in the -followingspccification and appended claims.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, attention is hereby di rooted to the accompanying drawings, specification, in which- Figure 1 represents in side elevation. and

in vertical cross section a reproducer embodying one form of my inventf on. Fig; 2 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross section on-line 3-3 oi? Fig. 3

looking to the right. Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation and vertical cross section through a modified form of my device. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan dew of the same. Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on line 6-6 in Fig. at, and Figs. .7 and 8 are views similar to Figs. at and 5 of another modified form of my device.

Referring to the drawings, the reproducer sound box 1 is provided with the diaphragm 2 and with the floating weight '3 pivotally secured to the sound box 1 in the usual manner. The mounting of floatmg weight 3 may permit slight lateral move1nent of the weight with respect to the sound box, if desired, as well as an up and down oscillation of the weight, movement of the weight being limited by the engagement of pin 4 carried by the weight within stirrup 5 carried by the sound box. Stylus lever 6 carries stylus 7 and is connected to diaphragm 2 by link 8.

The stylus lever is preferably mounted in the following manner:.-A hollow stud 1 or sleeve 9 is rotatably mounted in floating weight 3, being free to rotate about an axis extending through link 8 at right angles to the median plane of floating weight 3 or substantially at right angles to the plane of diaphragm 2. This sleeve may be flanged as shown at 10 to form a bearing surface engaging the upper surface of the floating weight, or within a countersunk depression on the upper side of the weight as shown. The link 8 connecting the stylus lever to the diaphragm extends substantially aXi-.

ally through the .interior of sleeve 9. A collar 11 is secured upon. the lower end of sleeve 9 below floating weight 3 by any suitable means, as the screw 12; and a yoke 13 is pivotally connected to collar 11. by screw centers 14 engaging within conical cavities at opposite points upon the periphery of collar 11, the centers 14 having a common axis passing through link 8. Yoke 13 is provided with a depending lug 15 at a point therein most distant from the centers 14. The horizontal pin 16 upon which styluslever 6 is pivotally supported is carried by in 15 of member 13. Also, preferably, a rofier or wheel 17 is secured to the end of yoke 13 beyond lug 15, being mou ted upon stud 18 in yoke 13 and free :0 rotate upon the said stud. When stylus is in engagement with the record illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 1 at 19, the roller 17 will engage the under side of floating weight 3 and support the latter. A hardened bearing surface or runway 20 is preferably provided upon the under side of the floating weight for the engagement of roller 17 therewith.

For centering the st-yl ..s lever with respect to the record groove, I preferably provide a bracket 21 secured to the floating weight as by screws 22 and having a downwardly extending V-shaped stirrup 23 within which extends a nose or projection 24 formed on the forward end of stylus lever 6. When the floating weight is lifted to disengage the stylus from the record, yoke 13 swings about its pivots 1 1 by gravity and stylus 7 is centered by the coaction of nose 24 of the lever with the V-shaped stirrup 23.

It is to be understood that in the structure described the stylus lever is not only pivotally movable about pin 16 as the stylus 7 tracks the vertically undulating bottom of the sound groove, but that also the stylus lever as a whole is movable universally with respect to the floatingweight, and that because of the pivotal connection of member 13 with member 9, up and down movement of the member 13 is permitted without causing a tendency of the member 9 to bind in the floating weight 3' andsaid member is accordingly permitted to oscillate in said weight without binding. The moving parts constituting the mounting of the stylus lever are of little mass, and consequently theinertia necessary to be overcome in moving the same is slight. The member 9 or equivalent thereof rotatably mounted in the floating weight need not necessarily be placed in the position shown in linewith the center of diaphragm 2, although I consider this position the most desirable. The engagementof roller 17 with the under side of .the floating weight greatly reduces friction during the lateral movement of the stylus with respect to the floating weight. The upper side of collar 11 may frictionally engage the under side of the floating weight during lateral movement of the stylus in operation.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a modified form of my d vice, in which stylus lever 6 is pivotally mounted upon pin 16 carried by member 13' which is mounted to oscillate laterally with respect to floating weight 3 by being secured to pin 25 positioned at right angles to the median plane of floating weight 3 within an opening 26 in said weight through which opening the member 13 also extends. Plates 27 and 28 are secured upon the upper and lower sides of floating weight 3 respectively as by screws 29 and 30. These lates extend somewhat across opening 26 in the floating weight, and alford a bearing for ,the reduced portions 31, 32 of pin 25, the

pin 25 and member 13' thus being adapted to oscillate laterally with respect to the floating weight during the tracking of stylus 7 within the record groove. Pin 25 is preferably located in line with the center of diaphragm 2, as shown. Roller 17 is rotatably mounted upon stud 18 on the end of member 13 in the same manner as described in connection with Fig. 1, this roller being adapted to contact and frictionally bear against the under surface of a bracket 33 extending from the upper side of floating weight 3 part way across opening 26 in the floating weight. In this form of mydevice, the link 8 joining diaphragm 2 to the tail of lever .6 is formed as shown in Fig.6, to pass through opening 26 in the floating weight and extend around plates 27 and 28 and member .13 therein, the link preferably passing around the said members on both sides in an approximately rectangular form, as shown. In this construction, the stylus lever is not movable bodily toward and from the floating weight, as in the form of my device first described, but is laterally movable with respect to the weight. This construction provides only rolling friction for the member 13 between the roller 17 and the bracket 33 in addition to the slight turning friction of the journals 31, in their bearings in plates 27 and 28.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated another construction in which stylus lever 6 is movable bodily up and down with respect to the floating weight, as Well as laterally with respect to the same, as in the case of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In this form of my device, lever 6 is pivoted on stud 16 carried by :1 depending lug of member 13, which is pivoted upon laterally extending reduced portions or journals 34, 34 of pin 25 having reduced portions or journals 31 and 32 rotatably mounted in lates 27 and 28 secured upon the upper and ower surfaces of floating weight 3 as described in connection with Figs; 4 and 5. Thus, in this structure member 13 may oscillate in a plane at right angles to diaphragm 2 about pivot pin '34, and also in a plane at right angles thereto about the axis of journals 31 and 32 supported in plates 27 and 28. In this construction, the roller 17 bears against the under surface of bracket 33, as in the construction illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. A V-shaped stirrup 23 carried by floating weight 3 cooperates with nose 24. of lever 6 to center the stylus lever, in the structures illustrated in Figs. 4', 5, 6 and 8. in the same manner as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. The link 8' in the construction illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 is of the same form as described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5. It should be understood that my invention is not limited to the exact con struction and details described, but may be if wi l 1'] bribe-l my met iii; aiid desire to protect y Letters hilloiv b v"is-ind ieoifedw' iiieuiis. t meow? 1hr em Lv l b-mul rt' i'lt ll ed by said an axis ni pivoted to tiitfi'i 'ilti said weight a went with :i by said L le /er 'H'Hiili) iii: being provided bort for said it i'i'igagremij iit with :1 H3001 desei'i bed:

ioriii o ii said -Il witoif mm 4, oi a sh r iiQt'tQlt therefo and [i'liisz-ar tai'rfeo bi eiiiiitiallf as dewii 1 sound i1 owned thereto and Al m igli he :oziitiioai =2IZ1 )Ii5llfZ, a member forming a su te new. for

aid weight when. said stylus is in itiiig weight, a member supportwigtit, free to more laterally and id (tfiWll with respect thereto and new moon; with rolling friction, and

EJYUtIii support. for said lever carried by vi i m mber. substantially as described.

l. to a sound reprodiicer, the combination fl t? vibratory means of a stylus lever coir t thereto and stylus carried thereby, a m med ttoniing weight, a member supporti in viid weight and free to more laterally 11 up and down with respect thereto, wax-rim? by said member adapted to wwatly bear upon said Weight, and a support for said lever carried by l'staiitially as described.

a sound reproducer, the combination with vibratory means of a stylus lever eonwtted therrto and stylus carried thereby, a it''it floating weight, a member support- "Hd weight. free to rotate about an substantially at right angles thereto, member pivoted to said first member "eiilate about an axis at an angle to wt axis. means carried by said second r adapted to eontaot said Weight to a support therefor when said stylus is igeiiient with a record, and a pivotal for said iever carried by said sec- .wniber, substantially as described.

in a sound reproduce-r, the combination r-i vibratory means, of a stylus lever eonrd t icreto and stylus carried thereby, a E floating w get, a member support said Weight free to rotate about an :taiitialty at right angles thereto, Ml o inoer pivoted to said first member :wr e itlate about an axis at-an angle to a roller hurried by said second pied to (ZODtACt, said weight i,\'.llt$j is in engagement with a said fir t member moves about a pivotal support for said lever ind r producer, the combinaas, a stylus lever, a Ht lever, connecting u Y 1 fdibt lever and said vibratory Hfi floating weight, member 'iid iie'ight and free to rotate ing; thri'iugb said eoiineetiiieiriber pivoted to said number and free to oscillate titlit with a re ord, substantially as eonneeting means, means carried by said see mid member adapted o eontart said weight to form a support therefor when the stylus is in engagement with the record, and a pivotal support for said lever carried by said second member, substantially described.

11. In a sound reproducer, the combination of vibratory means, a. stylus lever, a stylus carried by the forward end of said lever, connecting means between said lever and said vibratory means, means pivotally supporting said lever intermediate said stylus and said connecting means, said si'ppoi-ting means being fuse to move laterally about an axis passing through said connecting means, and means enacting with the forward end of said lever for centering the same, whereby the effective position of said ("entering means is remote from said axis, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 9th day of November, 1910.

THOS. A. EDISON. Witnesses DYER SMITH, ANNA R. KLEHM. 

